How to Play Pick'em Poker?

Pick'em Poker is refreshingly a different kind of video poker game that is among the lesser-known variations. While it is not available in many casinos, it has actually been around for over a decade and a half. In this time, thanks to its high payout, it has attracted a huge following online. And continues to be a go-to casino game for players who like simple, straightforward games that are devoid of complications.

It’s hard to find a game simpler to play. Its name is indicative of the playing sequences. All you need to do is pick a stack of cards from two sets - that’s it. This might be oversimplifying it, but it is exactly how the game is.

Getting Started

You don’t need much to start playing Pick'em. Perhaps the most significant requirement is the understanding of poker hand combinations like:

Royal flush

Straight flush

3 of a kind

Straight, and so on

If you’ve played any kind of poker before, you should already be familiar with these hands.

The game is quite rare in brick-and-mortar casinos. This rarity is sometimes attributed to its simplicity, and the fact that it doesn’t attract as huge a crowd as slot games and specialty games. While they try to provide entertainment, casinos are primarily set up for profit purposes, and Pick'em would serve this agenda in a rather slow manner. That said Pick'em is widely available online in RTG casinos. Given how accessible it has become, this offsets its absence in video poker machines in land-based casinos.

The Game Sequence

The game is quite easy to play - an attribute that is often expressed when talking about Pick'em - and rarely needs a newbie to practice long before they can start playing for payouts:

Basically, a player is dealt with two single cards from a deck of 52. The deck is well shuffled, prior to dealing, to ensure the odds are not stacked against any particular side. These two cards are exposed, and stationed to the left of the screen.

Two more sets of 3 cards each are thereafter dealt. The top card in each of these sets is left exposed. The player has to choose one between the two stacks. This choice, for all players, is determined by the two initial cards already dealt, and the top cards appearing on the two stacks of 3. The player remains unaware of the two hidden cards in these latter stacks, until the selection is made. The disregarded stack is discarded.

The final hand of 5 that the player wields is what determines the kind of payout they will receive. Typically, a player should aim for a pair of 9’s or higher, to win.

There is a standard paytable that offers guides on the different hands. However, there are game-specific paytables set by each casino, and these are freely shared on each machine. Pretty much all online casinos that provide this game also offer "double up" or also known as "gamble" feature that can be used to further double (or lose) the winnings.

The value of the payout is determined by the amount of coins played. So if you want the highest payouts, you have to play the most coins.

From the above, you can quickly tell that there is a huge aspect of the game that is dependent on luck but there is also strategy involved. The basic move is to go for the stack of 3 that has an exposed card that offers the best hand when combined with the two cards initially dealt. In perspective, if the two initial cards were a 5s, and a 5h, and the two stacks hand a 5d, and a 3h, the obvious choice would be to go for the 5d to make three of a kind.

The value of the hands is often listed from the best to the worst, on each gaming machine, together with the payout. Going through the table is often recommended, as these vary, to know which hands have the best return.

Once you are satisfied with your winnings, you can cash out, and collect your winnings. Pick'em Poker has some of the highest payouts(up to 99.95%) among video poker games, so if you have mastered the art of playing the game, you can have a huge payday. If you want the biggest possible payout of 99.95% make sure the paytable is like the one below.

Quick Tips to Help You Play Pick'em Poker

The simplicity of the game has been sufficiently established. But even though the game is devoid of complexities, it doesn’t mean you should mindlessly indulge. After all, you can win or lose, so only bet the money you can afford to lose. That said here are some tips to help you get good at this game:

Practice before you start betting. You can either play in fun play mode at online casinos, or use the training software. Give these a swing to get a feel of the game, and to get an understanding of the game, and how to make the most of it.

Once you familiarize yourself with the game, don’t be afraid of making big bets. After all, that’s where the big money is. Pretty much all paytables require you to play at least 5 coins to take advantage of the highest possible payout. If you want to bet 25 cents per hand rather play 5 cent limit with 5 coins than 25 cent limit with 1 coin.

Pick'em is an easy, fun game to play. If you’ve become too accustomed to slots, and want a simple, straightforward video poker game with a high payout that also requires little bit of skill, look no further than this.